Lawn-mower



- 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.v W. A. LOUD.

LAWN MOWBR.

(No Model.)

`NQ. 390,494. Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

W. A. LOUD.

LAWN MOWBR.

No. 390,494. Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

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ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 1 s sheets-smetta. v

W. A. LOUD.

LAWN MOWBR. y, No. 390,494. Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

@mi/[Income lUNiTnin dTaTns i -FaTnNT @ri-rea WALDO A. LOUD, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,494, dated October 2,` 1888. Application iiled April 17, 1886. Serial No. lllfhl'. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WALDO A. LOUD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of lllassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in LawnMowers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lawn-mowers, and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts of the machine, as hereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claim.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lawninower (the upper end of the handle being broken off) embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through Fig. 1 alittle to one side of the center between the traction-wheels. Fig. 3 is a section on line .fr x, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a pcrspectiveview ofthe inner side of the head of the traction-wheel, showing a pinion within a chamber beneath the hollow gear and ratchet-wheel stud thereon. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and S illustrate detail parts, which are hereinafter fully described. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the ratchet-wheel and pawl. Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the head and a section of the traction-wheel of the machine and ofthe mechanism operating between said head and wheel, a portion of the cutter-shaft being shown in this figure.

In the drawings, 2 indicates the cutter-shaft, and 3 portions of the usual cutters used on machines of this description,which cutters are secured to the said shaft by theusual armed hub, 4. The hollow traction-wheel 5 is perforated centrally to allow the hollow huh 7 on the diskshaped head 6 of said wheel to pass 'through its side, as shown in Fig. 3, and said wheel is secured to the head G by a headed bolt, S, which is screwed into the end of said hollow hub 7, said headed bolt S not being shown in Fig. 10, and the wheel 5 rotates on the latter and has a pawl, 9, pivotcd on its inner side in the usual way,whieh engages withacombined ratchet and gear wheel, 10, which rotates on said hub 7. rlhe said head 6 of the tractionwheel is constructed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.-,with a recess, 11, in itsinner side, in the ecnter of which is a gear-stud, 12;and one side of said recess communicates with apinion-chamber, 20, beneath said hollow stud 7. The outer side of the head 6 is provided with a box or bearing, 14, in which that part of the cuttershaft 2 near its end rotates. Said box 14 is provided with a split metallic ring or shell, 15, which fits into said box, and within which the said shaft rotates.

A. boss, 16, is provided on nearly opposite sides of the hub 1st, through which passes a set-screw, 17, whose inner end is capable of being forced against the sidcof said split ring, and thus by turning both of said screws 17 against the sides ofthe latter said ring is so made to clasp the shaft 2 within it as to take up for the wear of the latter or of said ring, or of both, and keep the shaft-bearing in proper condition. Said ring constitutes in practice a spring-lining for the box 14,capable of adjustment against the shaft, as set forth.

As shown in Fig. 5, which illustrates in perspective view the pinion 13 and one end of the cutter-shaft 2, said pinion is provided with a center hole of oval form, and the end of shaft 2, which is adapted to enter said hole in pinion 13, is of like form, although the hole in the latter may be square and the end of saidshaft be of corresponding form, the oh- `ject being to provide a shaft and a pinion to operate in conjunction, to become engaged one with the other when the shaft is made to enter the pinion, so that they must rotate together without any set-screw or other similar fastening between them.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated in perspective view the gear 1S, having the pinion 19 fixed on its side, and after the pinion 13 has been placed in the chamber 20, by being first placed in the recess 11, said gear 18 is placed on the stud 12 in engagement with pinion 13, and when the above-described parts are secured together in operative relations, as in Fig. 3, the pinion 19 engages with the geared portion of wheel 10, as there shown. The pinion 13 is of such diameter as permits it to be passed between the side ofthe recess 1l in the head 6 and the stud 12 in the center of said recess when the pinion 13 is placed in the chamber 20.

The rotation of the traction-wheel 5 in adirection to engage the pawl 9 with the ratchet portion of wheel 10 causes the latter to be rotated on the stud 7, and insuccession the gear 18, the pinion 13, and the cutter-shaft 2 are given a rotary motion.

ICO

The above-described gear-and-ratchet mechanism is unlike that heretofore provided to operate between the tractioni wheel proper, 5, and the head 6 of said traction-wheel for the wellknown purpose of allowingsaid wheel to rotate freely when the machine is drawn backward, and to canse the cutters to rotate when the machine is pushed forward; and the said unlike ness consists in providing said head 6 with the above-described hollow stud 7 in the center thereof; in providing the pinion 1 3 for the end ofthe cutter-shaft 2 within said head nnder one end of said stud; a ratchetwheel and a gear, 10, rotating as one on said stud 7 concentrically with the traction-wheel, pawls pivoted to the inner side of said traction-wheel and engaging with said ratchet-wheel, and intermediate pinions, 19 and 18, engaging with said ratchet-turned gear 10 and with the said pinion 13. By means of the above-described simplified construction the use of a tractionwheel having an internal gear on the inner side of its rim is obviated, and centrally-op cratingratchet devices are arranged on the same stud,7,on which the wheel 5 rotates, thus much reducing the ordinary cost ofsuch parts.

The outer lside of the head 6 is provided with the usual curved guard, 21, for the ends ofthe cutters 3, and with a cast projection, 22, in which are placed two adjusting-screws, z, for the cutter-bar frame 23, as shown in Fig. 2; and inclined in a rearward direction on the side of said head is a handle-socket, 24, and extending in a line with the latter toward the periphery of the head 6 is a projection, 25, having a perforation, 26, therein.

The handle 27 is provided with two metallic arms, 28, each of which is provided with a steady-pin, 29. The position of said arms 28, when disconnected from the handle 27 and having their lower ends placed in the said handle-sockets, is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and a portion of onerof said arms is shown in like position in Fig. 8.

/Vhen the upper ends of the arms 28 are spread apart and bolted to the sides of the handle, as in Fig. 1, the pins 29 engage in the perforations 26, holding said arms in engage ment with the head 6. As a further means of securing the handle-arms to the latter, a setscrew, 35, is placed in the side of socket 24, to be screwed against the edge of the arm within it.

The above-described means of securing the handle to the machine affords great convenience for packing for transportaion, for by disconnecting the arms 28 from the handle the latter and the arms can be securely packed in a small compass, and when all are reassembled on the machine, as in Fig. 1, the handle is solidly attached to the machine.

The aforesaid cutter-bar frame 23 is cast with two arms, 30, and with the ends on which the said adjusting screws z z bear integral therewith, and is pivoted by each end in any I them into operative conjunction with the traction-wheel, and for obtaining a simple engagement without the use of setserews between the cutter-shaft and the pinion which'drives the latter, whereby the simplified construction embodying lthe location of the said drivingpinion in said chamber in the head is rendered praticable; also,the above-described means for lining the cutter-shaft box, whereby the wear is taken up, provides simple and efficient means for keeping the shaft-bearings in good ruiming order.

A further advantage which is gained by the above-described improvements consistsin the construction of the cutter-bar framewith the bearing roller arms integral therewith,thereby obviating the usual expense of bolting said arms to the machine.

The heads 6, having the handlearm sockets 24 near the axis of said head, and the perforated extensions 25 thereon, combincd with the handle 27, the arms 28, detachable from the handle, having their extremities entering said sockets and having pins thereon entering perforations insaid extensions near the periphery of said heads, substantially as set forth.

WALDO A. LOUD.

Vitnesses:

G. M. CHAMBERLAIN, XV. F. RICE.

IOO 

